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Chris Andersen, also known as Birdman, is an American former professional basketball player. He started his career in the Chinese Basketball Association and went on to play for several teams in the NBA. In 2006, he received a two-year ban from the NBA due to a violation of the league's drug policy. After his ban, Andersen returned to the NBA and played for the New Orleans Hornets and the Denver Nuggets. He then signed with the Miami Heat in 2013 and won a championship with them that year.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name | Chris Andersen |
| Nickname | Birdman |
| Date of Birth | July 7, 1978 |
| Height | 6'10" |
| Weight | 245 lb |
| Position | Power Forward / Center |
| College | Blinn College |
| Professional Career | Chinese Basketball Association, American minor leagues, Denver Nuggets, New Orleans Hornets, Miami Heat |
| NBA Suspension | 2 years (2006-2008) due to drug policy violation |
| NBA Reinstatement | March 4, 2008 |
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Chris Andersen's basketball career
Chris Andersen, nicknamed "Birdman", is an American former professional basketball player. He played the positions of center and power forward. Andersen was born in Long Beach, California, and grew up in Texas. He was encouraged to take up basketball by his high school coach, Robert Stewart, who believed the sport could earn him a college scholarship. Andersen played one season with the Blinn Buccaneers, leading the National Junior College Athletic Association players in blocks.
Convinced of his professional potential, Andersen left college in 1999 and played a series of exhibition games with the semi-professional Texas Ambassadors. He then played in China for the Jiangsu Nangang Dragons of the Chinese Basketball Association. In 2000, he joined the New Mexico Slam of the International Basketball League, followed by stints with several teams in the International Basketball Association (IBA). In 2001, Andersen played for the Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA Summer League and signed with the Phoenix Suns. However, he was waived by the Suns shortly after.
Andersen was then selected by the Fayetteville Patriots in the NBA Development League's inaugural draft. He became the first D-League player to be called up by an NBA team, signing with the Denver Nuggets in November 2001. He quickly established himself as one of the top per-minute rebounders and shot-blockers in the league. During his career, Andersen also played for the Miami Heat, with whom he reached the NBA Finals for the first time in 2013, winning his first NBA championship. He re-signed with the Heat in 2013 and played 72 games during the 2013-14 season.
In 2006, Andersen was suspended by the NBA for violating the league's "drugs of abuse" policy. He appealed the ruling but was unsuccessful, and his dismissal was upheld. After a period of rehabilitation and coaching a boys' basketball team in Denver, Andersen was reinstated as an NBA player in 2008, signing again with his former team, the New Orleans Hornets.
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Andersen's two-year suspension from the NBA
On January 27, 2006, Chris Andersen was banned from the NBA for two years for violating the league's drug policy. Andersen, nicknamed "Birdman", tested positive for a prohibited substance, which fell under the league's category of "drugs of abuse". This included amphetamines (and their derivatives), cocaine, opiates, PCP, and LSD. Andersen's ban was upheld by an arbitrator in March 2006, and he was forced to wait two years before being eligible to apply for reinstatement.
During his suspension, Andersen spent time in a rehab clinic in Malibu, coached a boys' basketball team in Denver, and worked out in Las Vegas under the direction of Joe Abunassar, a trainer for numerous NBA players. He also worked with a lawyer friend in Denver, Mark Bryant, who became his advisor and helped him with the reinstatement process.
On March 4, 2008, the NBA Players Association granted Andersen's request for reinstatement, and his former team, the New Orleans Hornets, re-signed him the next day. The Hornets were given the first opportunity to sign him, and they were expected to do so as they were nearly $5 million below the league's luxury tax threshold. Andersen's contract was for the remainder of the 2007-2008 season, and he returned to the court and performed well, finishing the season second in the league in blocks per game.
Andersen's suspension and subsequent reinstatement were not without challenges. Before his ban, he was a crowd favorite, earning $3.5 million in the first year of a four-year, $14 million contract. However, only three players who were on the Hornets' roster at the time of his dismissal were still with the team when he returned. Andersen's successful reinstatement was attributed to his focus on personal improvement, with the Hornets' general manager expressing pleasure that Andersen had taken the appropriate measures to get himself reinstated.
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Andersen's reinstatement to the NBA
Chris Andersen, nicknamed "Birdman", is an American former professional basketball player. He was the first-ever pick in the NBA Development League Draft, despite being undrafted in 1999.
Andersen was banned from the NBA for two years in 2006 for violating the league's drug policy. He appealed the ruling through arbitration, but the arbitrator upheld his dismissal in March 2006. During his suspension, Andersen spent time in rehab, worked out, and coached a boys' basketball team in Denver.
On March 4, 2008, the NBA Players Association granted Andersen's request for reinstatement as an NBA player. His former team, the New Orleans Hornets, re-signed him the next day for the remainder of the 2007-08 season. He returned to the Denver Nuggets later in 2008 and remained with them until 2012.
Andersen's reinstatement allowed him to resume his NBA career and continue playing for various teams until his retirement. His perseverance and dedication to his sport, despite setbacks, showcase the potential for redemption and second chances in professional sports.
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Andersen's time with the Denver Nuggets
Chris Andersen, also known as "Birdman", played for the Denver Nuggets for several seasons across two stints with the team. Andersen first joined the Nuggets on November 21, 2001, quickly becoming one of the top per-minute rebounders and shot-blockers in the league. He re-signed with the team in 2003 but left in 2004 to join the New Orleans Hornets.
After a two-year suspension from the NBA for violating the league's "drugs of abuse" policy, Andersen was reinstated as an NBA player in March 2008 and rejoined the Hornets for the remainder of the 2007-08 season. On July 24, 2008, Andersen signed a one-year deal to return to the Denver Nuggets. He finished the 2008-09 season second in the league in blocks per game with 2.5, despite playing only 20.6 minutes per game.
On July 8, 2009, Andersen re-signed with the Nuggets on a five-year deal. During his time with the Nuggets, Andersen was known for his brightly coloured tattoos, with Denver-based tattoo artist John Slaughter estimating he had inked 65% of Andersen's body. Before being waived by the Nuggets in 2012, Andersen was a sought-after player, with Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra lobbying to acquire him.
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Andersen's stint with the Miami Heat
Chris Andersen, nicknamed "Birdman", signed a 10-day contract with the Miami Heat on January 20, 2013. He was signed to a second 10-day contract on January 30, and for the remainder of the season on February 8, 2013. Andersen played in only 42 games during the 2012–13 season but still contributed to the Heat's success by putting up 4.9 points per game on 57.7% FG and 4.1 rebounds in 14.9 minutes of play. After he joined the Heat, his team went on a 27-game winning streak, going 37–3 in regular-season games in which Andersen played. On July 10, 2013, Andersen re-signed with the Miami Heat. He played 72 games during the 2013–14 regular season, averaging 6.6 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks per game. On May 26, 2014, it was announced that Andersen would miss Games 4 and 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals due to various injuries. Andersen returned for Game 6, recording 9 points and 10 rebounds as the Heat advanced to their fourth straight NBA Finals.
On July 19, 2014, Andersen re-signed with the Heat once more. Over the 2014–15 regular season, Andersen started 20 games, the most in a single season of his career. However, Andersen's stint with the Miami Heat was not without controversy. In September 2013, Andersen's home was raided by authorities in Colorado as part of an investigation into his relationship with an underage girl from California. Andersen was eventually cleared of any wrongdoing, with police determining that he was the victim of an "extremely complex" internet scheme perpetrated by a woman in rural Manitoba. On February 16, 2016, the Heat traded Andersen to the Memphis Grizzlies, ending his time with the Miami-based team.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, Chris Andersen returned to basketball after serving a two-year ban from the NBA for violating the league's drug policy. He was reinstated on March 4, 2008, and re-signed with the New Orleans Hornets the next day.
After his reinstatement, Chris Andersen re-signed with the New Orleans Hornets, his former team that held the rights to his services.
After his reinstatement, Chris Andersen returned to the Denver Nuggets in 2008 and stayed with them until 2012. He then signed with the Miami Heat in January 2013 and won a championship with them that same year.
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